Transformer connector



Sept. 19, 1961 E. s. CORNELL, JR

TRANSFORMER CONNECTOR Filed July 28, 1958 l H 1 INVENTOR. 542 13,001,166 TRANSFORMER CDNNECTOR Edward S. Cornell, .lr., Westport,(Iona, assignor to Penn- Union Electric Corporation, Erie, Pa., acorporation of Pennsylvania Filed July 28, 1953, Ser. No. 751,344 4Claims. (Cl. 539--32) The present invention relates to novel electricalconnectors, and more particularly to novel connectors especiallysuitable for use in association with transformers and the like.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a noveltransformer connector of more eflicient and economical construction thantransformer connectors now in general use and capable of providing animproved connection with a tap wire or the like.

A more specifieobject of the present invention is to provide a noveltransformer connector capable of receiving wires extending at differentdirections between a pair of members and constructed so that the membersmay be readily clamped together without turning or tilting relative toeach other so as to obtain a secure connection with a wire.

Still another specific object of the present invention is to provide anovel transformer connector of the above described type wherein a wiremay be clamped between a relatively long, uninterrupted and directlyopposed surfaces or seats for enhancing the mechanical and electricalconnection between the wire and the connector.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description and the accompanying drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a connector incorporating featuresof the present invention;

FIG.2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken generally alongthe line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing elements of a connectorincorporating features of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary planned view showing a connector ll'I 'o'atingfeatures of the present invention;

HO. 5 is a perspective view showing a connector incorporating a slightlymodified form of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken generally along line 6-6 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing elements of the connectorshown in FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a portion of a connectorincorporating another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken generally along line 9-9 in FIG. 8 andfurther shows the connector applied to a wire or conductor.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings wherein like parts aredesignated by the same numerals throughout the various figures, aconnector 10 incorporating one embodiment of the present invention isshown in FIGS. 1 through 4. The connector comprises an elongatedelectrical insulator 12 formed from ceramic or any other suitablematerial and having an axially extending bore 14 therethrough whichopens at one end in a recess 16 which is defined by an axially extendingflange 18. A body member 20 of any suitable electricity conductingmaterial such as aluminum, brass, copper or the like is provided, whichbody member has an end portion 22 disposed within the recess 16. The endportion 22 has a reduced diameter internally threaded extension 24 whichprojects into the bore 14 of the insulator and threadedly receives anend portion of a rod 26.

Patented Sept. 19, 1961 ice The rod 26 which is constructed from anysuitable electricity conducting material has an outer end portion 28which is threaded and adapted to receive a nut 30 or the like so thatthe rod may serve to connect the device It) both mechanically andelectrically with a transformer, not shown. It is understood that therod 26 might be brazed or similarly secured to the transformer and bodymember 20 rather than threadedly connected, if desired. A washer 32 ofany suitable plastic or sealing material is provided in an annular seatformed in the end portion 22 for preventing moisture or any otherforeign material from entering the bore of the insulator. An element 34extends from an integral connection with the end portion 22 through asuitable notch or recess 36 formed in the axially extending insulatorflange 18 for providing a predetermined spark gap between the housing ofa trans,

former, not shown, and the exposed portions member 20.

A main section 38 of the body member 2% is laterally offset from the endportion 22 and integrally connected thereto by means of a reduced neckportion 4a. The body section 30 which is of generally circular exteriorconfiguration preferably extends transversely of the axis of the neckportion 40 and the insulator. The body section 38 is bolt-like in thatit is provided with external helical thread convolutions 42 forreceiving a complementary nut member 44 for the purpose discussed indetail below.

The bolt-like body section 33 is provided with an axially extending slot46 which completely transverses the body section and opens at oppositesides thereof. Another axially extending slot 48 is provided whichintersects the slot 46 and extends to and opens at a side of thebolt-like body member between the opposite sides which are interruptedby the slot 46. It will be noted that bottoms 5t) and 52 of the slots 46and 48 provided elongated uninterrupted and transversely contoured orcurved seats respectively for accommodating a wire 54 extendingtransversely of the insulator as shown in full lines in FIG. 1 oraxially of the insulator as shown in broken lines in FIG. 1. Preferablythe slots 46 and 48 and thus the seats and 52 are disposed at rightangles to each other and so that the slot 48 intersects a mid portion ofthe slot 46. This enables the bolt-like body section 38 to havesubstantial axially extended threaded shank portions 55, 56 and 58symmetrically disposed at opposite sides of the slots for accommodatingand support ing the nut member 44 in any manner which prevents the nutmember from tilting relative to the axis of the bolt-like body section.

The connector 10 also includes a clamping member 60 preferably formed inone piece. The clamping member has angularly disposed leg portions 62and 64 respec tively slidably disposed in the slots 46 and 48 andproviding elongated, uninterrupted and transversely contoured or arcuateseats 66 and 68 in opposing relationship to the seats 50 and 52. Asshown in the drawings, the clamping member is disposed beneath the nutmember 44 so that when the nut member is tightened, the clamping member60 is forced toward the bottoms of the slots so that a who will beclamped between a pair of the opposing seats.

it is to be noted that the lengths of the clamping member leg portions62 and 64 are such that ends of the leg portions project beyond thesides of the bolt-like body member 38 so that they may be engaged by theannular clamping end of the nut member 44. With this arrangement, theclamping force from the nut member is applied to symmetrically disposedcircumferential areas of the clamping member so as to resist twisting ortilting of the clamping member. In addition the clamping member isprovided with a central enlargement 70 at the junction of the body ofthe leg portions which is disposed in the junction of the slots 46 and48. The enlargement is shaped so as to engage the adjacent inner edgesof the bolt-like body member for guiding the clamping member and furtherresisting any tendency of the clamping member to tilt or twist relativeto the bolt-like body member. Thus, the clamping member is actuated andguided in a manner which insures that the clamping seats thereof aredisposed directly oppositely from and substantially parallel to theclamping seats of the body member 38 so as to promote a secureconnection with a wire when the wire is clamped between a pair ofopposed seats.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 show a modified form of the present invention which issimilar to the structure described above as indicated by the applicationof identical reference numerals with the suffix a added to correspondingelements. This embodiment differs only in that the slot means 4-8 isextended so that it completely traverses the bolt-like body section andthe leg portion 64a of the clamping member 60a is extended so as toproject through the slot means 48a. This structure wherein the slots andthe clamping member are cross shaped rather than T- shaped as in theembodiment described above, enables a wire to be applied to theconnector from four directions rather than three and further enables theclamping nut 44a to apply pressure to four equally circumferentiallyspaced areas of the clamping member.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show another slightly modified form of the presentinvention which is similar to the structures described above asindicated by the application of identical reference numerals with asufiix b added to corresponding elements. It is understood that thisembodiment as well as the embodiment shown in FIGS. -7 will include anelectrical insulator and conductor extending therethrough similar to theinsulator 12 and conductor 26 described above. This embodiment diifersover the connectors shown in FIGS. 1-4 only in that the body section 38bis provided with an extension 72 which elongates the seat 52b, and theleg portion 64b of the clamping member 6012 is extended so as to becoextensive with the elongated seat 52b. This arrangement enables theopposed clamping seats to be elongated for accomplishing a more securemechanical and electrical connection with a wire without requiring-anundue increase in the stock material used in the connector. If desired,a similar extension could be provided for elongating the wireaccommodating seat 50b, and the leg portion 62b of the clamping membercould also be elongated so as to be coextensive with such similarextension which is not shown.

While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shownand described herein, it is obvious that many structural details may bechanged without departing from the spirit or scope of the appendedclaims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A transformer connector including a one-piece electricity conductingbody member comprising an externally threaded section, first and secondangularly disposed slot means in said section and extending generallyalong a central axis of said threaded section and opening at sides ofsaid threaded section, bottoms of said slot means providing first andsecond angularly disposed wire accommodating seats facing axially ofsaid section and extending transversely of said axis in first and seconddirections and to sides of said section, said one-piece body memberincluding a second section integrally joined to said threaded sectionadjacent the bottoms of said slot means and extending laterallytherefrom at an angle with respect to said axis, said second sectionincluding means for receiving and detachably securing an electricalconductor extending in a direction disposed transversely with respect tosaid axis and generally parallel to one of said first and seconddirections, a clamping member including angularly disposed legs slidablydisposed in said firstand second slot means and having end portionsprojecting beyond said sides, said legs including angularly disposedwire accommodating seats paired with and facing said first mentionedseats for selectively accommodating wires disposed so as to extend insaid first and second directions with respect to the connector, and anut member threaded onto said threaded section and engageable with saidleg end portions for shifting said clamping member toward said firstmentioned seats when the nut member is tightened for securing a wirebetween the clamping member and one of said first mentioned seats.

2. A connector, as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and secondslot means have a combined T-shaped cross section and said clampingmember has a T-shaped cross section.

3. A connector, as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and secondslot means have a combined cross shaped transverse cross section andsaid clamping member has across shaped transverse cross section.

4. A connector, as defined in claim 1, wherein said body member threadedsection has a generally circular peripheral configuration, said bodymember including a lug integral with and projecting laterally from saidthreaded section adjacent one of said seats and providing an extensionof said one seat, the leg portion of said clamping member overlying saidone seat extending laterally outwardly from said threaded body sectionand being substantially coextensive with said lug.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,029,140 Treanor Ian. 28, 1936 2,193,202 Millermaster Mar. 12, 19402,586,354 Leonard Feb. l9, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 62,918 Denmark Nov.'20,1944 394,042 Germany Apr.i12, 192A

